"It leaves a profound hole in your heart," said Bill Martin, a colleague. "It is a loss, an unfortunate part of life, this is tragic. To lose one individual would be terrible and to lose four is almost beyond our comprehension."

Officials say the twin-engine Piper aircraft went down Friday about 400 yards from the giant lake's southeast shore, just north of the Pahokee Airport. Records show the plane had taken off from Tampa International Airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.